£500m EU funding ‘at stake’ McCartney

Around £500m investment from the European Union is now at stake as a result of Brexit, Foyle MLA Raymond McCartney has warned.

The Sinn Féin Assemblyman said the funding through the Special European Union Programmes Body is now at stake.

Raymond McCartney said: “Whatever the outworkings of the recent EU referendum and it is certainly not a done deal, the work of the Special European Union Programmes Body is enshrined in the Good Friday Agreement.

“That places a legal onus on the Irish and British Government to not only ensure the body exists but delivers for marginalised communities on both sides of the border.

“Sinn Féin will oppose any element of the Good Friday Agreement being undermined by the Brexit vote. The Good Friday Agreement is an international binding agreement and is not open to change depending on the mood of the government of the day.

“Almost half a billion pounds of funding is now at stake, Peace IV is at an advanced stage with some bids being processed and INTERREG ready to roll out.”

Mr McCartney said that the signatories of the Good Friday Agreement, the British and Irish Governments, “need to act now” and underwrite that funding.